JPH0425279A - Picture forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To form a picture in a shortest time and to reduce consumed energy by reading only an inclusive area including plural trimming areas with inscription. CONSTITUTION:An image processor 2 consists of circuits 21, 22, and an AND gate 3 applies logical operation to an output of the binarizing circuit 22 and an output of a bit map memory 8 to realize the trimming processing. An address bus of an SRAM 8 used as a bit map memory connects to an output of a selector 7, a data bus connects to a data bus of a CPU 9 and the AND gate 3 and a digitizer 10 is used for the input of a trimming area. Thus, an area not required for picture forming is not read, the processing time is reduced and the energy is saved.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Industrial application field] The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus.

[Prior Art] For example, when performing trimming processing in a copying machine, the following two methods have been considered.

(1) The first method has counters in the main scanning direction and the sub-scanning direction, and increments the counters according to pixel data, and performs trimming processing when the upper rimming setting count is reached.

■The second method is to develop the trimming area in bitmap memory and perform trimming processing by referring to pixel data and bitmap data.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, the conventional method has the following problem when multiple trimming areas are specified.

■Firstly, in a method that has a bitmap memory for all areas of the original, scans the entire area of the original, and then trims the image data corresponding to the bitmap memory, there is no need to read the areas that will not be printed out. Therefore, there is a problem that the copying time is long, and energy for exposing the document and energy for moving the sensor to areas outside the image area are required.

■Secondly, in the method where address counters are provided in two directions of the document and the image data of the address specified for trimming is processed, one address counter is used to correspond to multiple trimming areas sequentially. It was necessary to repeat the scan for the number of trimming areas. Therefore, if there are two or more trimming areas during one scan, it is necessary to repeat scanning the same location for the number of areas, and as the number of trimming areas increases, the copying time becomes longer, and the original exposure energy increases. There was a problem in that sensor movement energy was required.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus that solves the above-mentioned problems.

[Means for Solving the Problems J] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention includes a sensor that reads a document placed on a document table and outputs pixel data, and a pressure signal from the sensor that generates print data to be output to a printer. a bitmap memory, a specifying means for specifying a trimming position of a document, a developing means for developing the trimming data from the specifying means into the bitmap memory, and a counting means for counting a clock synchronized with the image data. a generation means for generating a trimming judgment signal by referring to the expanded data of the bitmap memory from the output of the counting means; a means for converting the image data into print data according to the trimming judgment signal and outputting it; and the specifying means. and means for driving the sensor to scan so that when a plurality of trimming areas are specified by, the sensor scans only an inclusive area that inscribed and includes the plurality of trimming areas on the original document. .

C. Effect: According to the present invention, with the above configuration, by preventing areas unnecessary for image formation from being read, processing time can be shortened and energy can be saved.

[Example] Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram according to a first embodiment of the present invention, where l is a CCD image sensor that reads an original image and outputs multivalued digital data, and sequentially outputs RGB data. 21 is LOG conversion/masking/UC
The R circuit generates data corresponding to each ink of C (cyan), M (magenta), Y (yellow), and K (black) from RGB signals. 22 is a binarization circuit, which converts CMYK using dither or error diffusion method.
Binarize the multivalued data. The image processor 2 consists of these circuits 21, 22. , 3 is an AND gate, which performs a logical operation with the output value of the bitmap memory, which will be described later, to realize the trimming process. A bubble jet (BJ) printer 4 prints out the input binary data on recording paper or the like. An oscillation circuit 5 generates a clock signal corresponding to the pixel signal, and the clock is supplied to the CGDI, the image processor 2, and the address counter 6.

Reference numeral 6 designates an address counter for the SRAM 8, which performs a counting operation in response to an input signal from the oscillation circuit 5, and is connected to the data bus of the CPU 9, and is configured so that an initial value can be set arbitrarily. There is. A selector 7 selects the output of the address counter 6 and the address bus of the CPU 9 based on a signal from the CPU 9.

The SRAM 8 used as a bitmap memory has an address bus connected to the output of the selector 7 and a data bus connected to the data bus of the CPU 9 and the AND gate 3. A digitizer 10 is used for inputting a trimming area.

Reference numeral 20 denotes an operation section in which each key is arranged, and information operated by an operator is sent to the CPU 9.

30 is a drive circuit that inputs a control signal from the CPU 9; 31
is a motor controlled by the circuit 3a, which scans and drives the image sensor 1 within a specified range of the digitizer 10.

FIG. 2 is an external view of the document reading device, where 1 is a CCD image sensor and 11 is a document table glass.

Figure 3 is an enlarged view of the CCD image sensor.
constitutes one pixel, and the number of pixels is 12g.

Figure 4 shows a digitizer, 10a is a coordinate input pen, and 10b
is a human-powered pad.

FIG. 5 shows the input status of trimming areas, and shows one area A inputted.

FIG. 6 shows a method of scanning a document for normal copying. As shown in the figure, the document is read by repeatedly scanning in the X direction with a width of 128 pixels and then shifting in the Y direction.

FIG. 7 shows the state when two trimming areas B and C are specified, and shows how an area D circumscribing the trimming areas is generated.

FIG. 8 shows the order in which area D shown in FIG. 7 is scanned.

FIG. 9 shows the bitmap memory in this case.

Next, the operation of the first embodiment will be explained.

First, as shown in FIG. 7, an operator indicates tomming areas B and C using the digitizer 10. As shown in FIG. The area information is sent to the CPU 9.

The CPU 9 switches the selector 7 to A, connects the address bus to the bitmap memory 8 which is an SRAM, generates bitmap data to be described later from the area information, and writes it into the bitmap memory.

Here, bitmap data is generated by writing data "1" instructing to output an image into areas B and C of the bitmap memory 8, and instructing other areas not to output an image. This is done by writing data "0". FIG. 9 shows the addresses and areas of the bitmap memory.

Next, the second operator places the original on the original platen glass 11,
Operate a copy start key (not shown).

When the copy start information is sent from the operating section 20 to the CPU 9, the CPU 9 switches the selector 7 to B and connects the pressure of the address counter 6 to the bitmap memory 8.

Next, as shown in FIG. 8, the sensor 1 is moved in advance to a position P by a motor 31 operated based on a signal from the CPU 9, and a first scan is performed from a position P to a position Q.

Thereafter, as shown in the figure, the scanning is continued until the scanning from S to R is performed as the seventh scan.

Also, for the address counter 6, the CPU 9
, C is set as an initial value.

Here, when scanning is started, a clock is output from the oscillation circuit 5, inputted to the CCD image sensor 1 and image processor 2, and also inputted to the address counter 6.
address will be updated. In this way, area PQR
While scanning the image in 3, press P in the bitmap memory.
Area D of QR5 can be read.

The data read by the sensor 1 is binarized by the image processor 2 and sent to the AND gate 3. The outputs of the bitmap memory 8 mentioned above are simultaneously input to the AND gate 3, and an output of "1" is obtained for the image area and an output of "0" for the non-image area. The image is input to the output printer 4 and only the trimming area is formed as an image.

Therefore, by creating a new area that circumscribes multiple trimming areas, scanning only that area, and at the same time setting the bitmap memory read start address according to the circumscribed area, you only need to scan the minimum range once. Trimming processing can be achieved with . Also,
Since the bitmap memory is expanded as is the trimmed image of the original, the expansion software of the CPU 9 can be simplified.

[Embodiment 2] FIG. 10 is a block diagram of a second embodiment of the present invention, which differs from the first embodiment in that a counter clear signal CL is given to the address counter 6 from the CPU 9. be. FIG. 11 is an example of development of a bitmap memory.

Next, the operation of the second embodiment will be explained.

First, an operator indicates trimming areas B and C using the digitizer 10.

The area information is sent to the CPU 9. At this time, an area P'Q'R'S'C circumscribed to areas B and C is generated and expanded using P' as the origin of the bitmap memory. The CPU 9 switches the selector 7 to A, connects the address bus to the bitmap memory 8 which is an SRAM, generates bitmap data to be described later from the area information, and writes it into the bitmap memory 8.

Here, to generate bitmap data, write data ``1'' in the B'' and C° areas of the bitmap memory to instruct 8 images to be output, and to other areas to instruct not to output images. This is done by writing data rOJ. The relationship between bitmap memory and area is explained in the 11th section.
As shown in the figure.

Next, the operator places the original on the original table glass 11,
Operate the copy start key (not shown). When the copy start information is sent from the operation unit 20 to the CPU 9, the CPU
U9 switches selector 7 to B and reads address counter 6.
The output of the bitmap memory 8 is connected to the bitmap memory 8.

Next, as shown in FIG. 8, the sensor is moved in advance to P by a motor (not shown) and a first scan is performed from P to Q. Thereafter, similarly to the embodiment of cylinder 1, the scanning is continued until the scanning from S to R is performed as the seventh scan.

Further, the CPU 9 sets address 0 in the address counter 6 as the read start address of the bitmap by the address counter clear signal CL.

When scanning is started here, a clock is output from the oscillation circuit 5, inputted to the CCD image sensor 1 and the image processor 2, and is also input to the address counter 6.
The address of the bitmap memory 8 is updated at the same time as the image is read. In this way, area PQ
While scanning the image in R3, the area D' of P'Q'R8° of the bitmap memory can be read out.

Data read by sensor 1 is binarized by an image processor and sent to AND gate 3. The output of the bitmap memory mentioned above is simultaneously input to the AND gate 3, and an output of 1 is obtained for the image area, and an output of 0 is obtained for the non-image area.This output is sent to the printer 4.
is input, and only the trimming area is imaged.

Therefore, by creating a new area that circumscribes multiple trimming areas, writing the bitmap information of the bitmap corresponding to the circumscribed area from pit map memo address 9O, and scanning only the circumscribed area, you can start the poem corresponding to the circumscribed area. There is an effect that the trimming process can be realized without initially setting the start address in the address counter 6, that is, without increasing the burden on the CPU and the circuit scale.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention, image formation can be performed in the shortest time, and image formation can be performed with less energy consumption.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a block diagram of the first embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is an external view of the scanner, Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of the CCD image sensor, Fig. 4 is an external view of the digitizer, and Fig. 5 is an external view of the digitizer. Figure 6 shows the method of scanning a document when making a normal copy. Figure 7 shows the state when two trimming areas B and C are specified. 8 is a diagram showing the order in which the trimming inclusion area D shown in FIG. FIG. 11, a block diagram of the second embodiment, is a diagram showing an example of development of the bitmap memory of the second embodiment. 1... CCD image sensor that reads the original image and outputs multivalued digital data, 11... Document glass, 2... Image processor 21... LOG conversion/masking/OCR circuit, 22
...Binarization circuit, 3...AND gate, 4...BJ printer, 5...Oscillation circuit, 6...Address counter, 7...Selector, 8...SRAM, 9. ...cpu. lO...Digitizer, 20...Operation unit. Figure Figure Figure Figure Figure

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1) A sensor that reads a document placed on a document table and outputs pixel data, an image processor that generates print data to be output to a printer from an output signal of the sensor, a bitmap memory, and a document. designation means for designating the trimming position of the designation means; expansion means for rasterizing the trimming data from the designation means into the bitmap memory; counting means for counting a clock synchronized with the image data; generating means for generating a trimming judgment signal with reference to developed data in memory; means for converting image data into print data using the trimming judgment signal and outputting the same; and when a plurality of trimming areas are specified by the specifying means; An image forming apparatus comprising: means for scanning and driving the sensor so as to read only an inclusive area that inscribed and includes the plurality of trimming areas on the document. 2) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the read address of the bitmap memory is changed according to a set position of the inclusive area. 3) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the bitmap data corresponding to the area including the trimming is always set from a fixed address in the bitmap memory, regardless of the position where the trimming is set.